


A Father's Love

by gray_autumn_sky



Series: Underworld Fics [4]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Other, Outlaw Believer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-21
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-06-13 20:29:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15372708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gray_autumn_sky/pseuds/gray_autumn_sky
Summary: In the Underworld, Robin reflects on meeting Henry Sr. and gets Henry to open up about his feelings about losing Neal when he was just getting to know him.





	A Father's Love

It’s the Charmings’ apartment, but it’s not.

Sheets cover the furniture and the space appears to be long ago forgotten by its last inhabitants; but when Mary Margaret turned her key in the lock, the door opened and they’ve suddenly found shelter. Exhausted, they retire into the bedrooms—claiming beds and couches, and arranging pillows and blankets on the floor—and within an hour, everyone was asleep.

Everyone except for him.

He misses his children—Roland’s laugh and the weight of his daughter sleeping in his arms—and every time he closes his eyes, he sees them and their little faces and he can’t wait to be reunited with them. Robin turns his head on the pillow, sighing as he looks over at Regina beside him. Blinking a couple of times, he focuses on her, reminding himself of why he’s come to place, why he willingly volunteered. She’s asleep—her brow is furrowed and her jaw is tense, but she’s not restless as he is. He smiles gently—almost sadly—as he watches her, knowing that the past several hours put her on an emotional rollercoaster that will only continue when the sun rises. And he’s glad that can rest now—glad that she’s found even just a little bit of solace here.

Upon their arrival, the first familiar face any of them encountered was Regina’s father—a man Robin knew of but heard little about. He knew that Regina had loved him dearly, that it had been his heart that allowed the Dark Curse to be set into motion, that he shares a name with his grandson; and he’s gathered that Henry was probably a good man in a difficult situation—and that is something he can relate to. But Regina’s barely talked about him, and he hasn’t wanted to pry—never wanting to stir up the painful memories of the past, preferring to let her open up about them when she felt ready. And until that moment, she hadn’t been ready to talk about her father. Yet when he saw him for the first time, standing there in the dark, watching them step from the water, narrowing his eyes and stepping tentatively forward, focused entirely on the daughter he lost years ago, he’s taken aback by the anger he feels toward the man he doesn’t know.

Regina’s hands had trembled, closing tightly around his as she looked away; and he could see uncertain tears glistening in her eyes. Her father had called her name and she’d looked back slowly and hesitantly, taking cautious steps forward before smiling and hugging him and over and over again telling him how sorry she was. And he’d stood there—watching the reunion between father and daughter, thinking of how long she’s waited for this moment, thinking of his own children and how much he already missed them, and thinking that if anyone could have saved her, it was her father—and he hadn’t done it. Instead, he’d watched her slip further and further away, further into the darkness—he could have saved her, and he didn’t.

Feeling his jaw tighten, he gets out of bed carefully and tip-toes down the stairs; and he’s surprised to see Henry perched at the window sill, looking out into the dark of night. For a moment, he considers going back upstairs, not wanting to interrupt the quiet moment, not wanting to over step uncertain bounds, not wanting to intrude.

But there’s something about the way Henry stares out the window that propels him forward. He clears his throat, and Henry turns. “Can’t sleep either?” Henry asks with a lopsided smile that reminds him so much of Regina. “It’s so weird being here, in  _this_  apartment, you know?”

Robin nods and sits on the arm of the couch. “I didn’t quite expect the Underworld to look this way either. So far, this realm is…full of all sorts of surprises.” He pauses for a moment, carefully eyeing Henry—noting the worry lines around his eyes and the way he keeps glancing nervously toward the window, as if looking for someone but knowing that someone will never appear. “At least, that’s what’s keeping me up, and I suspect, the same is true for you.”

Henry looks back to the window, and for a moment, he says nothing. And Robin waits, sitting patiently—close enough that he’s in reaching distance, but far enough so that he’s not hovering. He smiles gently at Henry’s cautious reluctance—certainly his mother’s son.

“I…barely knew my dad,” Henry murmurs finally. “But I was kind of hoping that…” He stops and looks back at Robin. “This is going to sound stupid…”

Robin grins encouragingly, “Oh, I highly doubt that.”

“Since the people who are here have unfinished business,” Henry begins in a low, tentative voice. “I was hoping that…that maybe…maybe I was my dad’s unfinished business.”

“That’s not stupid, Henry.”

With a nod and a sigh, Henry looks back to the window, and again, he’s quite for awhile. “I just thought that since he died when he did and since we’d just found each other, he would have wanted to…have more time with me.” He smiles sheepishly as his eyes meet Robin’s. “I thought he’d have wanted the chance to actually  _be_  my dad.”

Robin shifts forward. “Neal loved you.”

“I know,” Henry says easily. “But it’s not the same…and I shouldn’t feel this way.”

“Why not?” Robin challenges in a voice that is steady and certain as Henry looks back at him, furrowing his brow curiously as he considers the question. “Why shouldn’t you wish that you’d had a relationship with your father?” He pauses and smiles gently as Henry’s eyes once again fall away from his. “You’re entitled to your feelings.”

“I feel like it’s…unfair though,” Henry murmurs as he looks back. “To my moms.”

“I don’t think either of your moms would feel slighted simply because you wish you had more time with your father. In fact, I think it’s quite the contrary—they both know what it’s like to lose someone they love too soon.” Robin pauses. “After all, that is why we’re here.”

“Yeah. I guess so.”

Shifting toward the window sill, Robin sits down beside Henry. “I’m not trying to replace your father,” Robin says, unsure he needs to preface this this way, but wanting to err on the side of caution. “But I also know what it’s like to lose someone too soon, and if you ever want to talk or need advice or there’s something you…can’t quite talk to your moms about…I’m here.”

“Thanks,” Henry says with a tentative grin as his leans back against the window. “So, I guess this means you intend to stick around.”

“I do,” Robin says easily, laughing softly as Henry’s grin deepens. “I’m here so long as your mother will have me.”

“She’s happy, you know. Even with everything that’s happened, she’s happy…and that makes me happy.” Henry smiles. “Having you around has been…really good for her. For us.”

“I’m glad you feel that way,” Robin says, his smile deepening. “And for what it’s worth, even with everything that’s happened, I’m happy, too.” He hesitates for a moment as his hand dips into the pocket of his shirt. “Can you…do me a favor?” Henry nods, watching Robin curiously. “You mother has come dangerously close to finding this on numerous occasions,” Robin begins, holding up a gold band between his thumb and forefinger. “So, I was hoping, perhaps, you could hang on to this? Put it in your backpack maybe?”

“Is that…an engagement ring?” Henry asks with wide eyes. He looks back at Robin. “Are you planning to ask my mom to marry you? Here?”

Robin chuckles, “I hadn’t yet thought out the logistics.”

“Why haven’t you done it already?”

“Oh, I…” Robin shrugs his shoulders. “The time hasn’t been right. Not yet, at least.”

“You should ask her,” Henry says decisively. “And soon.”

“I’ll consider it,” Robin says with a smile and a nod. “I want you there, and Roland.”

“And that baby.”

“And the baby,” Robin agrees, still smiling as he thinks of what that moment might be like. “So, until I’ve figured it out, will you hold onto this?

With a nod, Henry takes the ring and reaches for his backpack. Robin watches as he deposits ring into a zipped pocket and pats it gently. And before he can thank him, they both turn, hearing footsteps on the stairs. “I really hope I don’t lose this,” Henry whispers as he eyes the stairs.

Robin shakes his head and sighs, smiling softly as he watches Regina come into view.

“What are you two doing up?” Regina asks, her voice groggy and her brow furrowed in concern as looks between them. “Am I interrupting?”

“Of course not,” Robin says easily.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Henry adds. “So, Robin and I were just talking.”

“Oh,” Regina murmurs, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“We were just talking about things we want to do when we get home,” Henry says, glancing at Robin and grinning. “We’d both think we should have some family time—the five of us.”

She tightens her robe around her waist and steps forward, a smile stretching across her lips. “I’d really like that, too.” She sits on the edge of the couch and chuckles softly. “I can’t wait until the biggest problem I have on a Saturday is convincing you to clean your room.”

“Hey…” Henry says feigning offense.

Robin smiles as he looks between them, listening to the easy banter they fall into, every now and then interjecting with his own commentary and feeling a little victorious when Henry teases him back, feeling like he truly belongs with them. He takes a breath and tries to ignore the pangs of guilt he feels as he thinks of his own children, a world away, and tries to remind himself that they’re safe and cared for by the fairies and the Merry Men, reminding himself that it won’t be long before they’re all back together, and reminding himself that he’s exactly where he needs to be. He smiles again as he looks between Regina and Henry—they haven’t been a part of his life for very long, but they’re his family and he knows there is nothing he wouldn’t do to protect them and keep them safe, to make them happy and make sure they know that they’re loved.


End file.
